metzger



Dec. 11,1923.

' M. METZGER FILI sPLlcnxe MACHINE olv-igual Filed nay 17. 1era z sheets-sheet i `Dc.l11,1923. v -Re.l5,730

M. METZVGER FILI sPLI'crNG MACHINE Orizial Filed lav 1v 1918 2 shanty-sneer 2 Reied Der. 11, 1923..y

UNITED sTATEs Re 15,730 PATENT crews;

IAURICEbIETZGER, E IONTBEAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

FILM-SPLICING MACHINE.

Original application nied lay 17, 1918Seria1-Io. 235,134. Renewed April 22, 1922, Serial No. 556,183. Uriginal No. 1,437,348, dated November 28, 1922. Application for reissue iiled lay 5, 1923. Serial To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, MAURICE MirrzGEn asubjeci of the Kin.. of Great Britain, and resident of the city o? Montreal, `in the Province o Quebec andA Dominion of Canada,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Film-Splicing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements Lin film splicing machines, and the object of the invention is-to provide a'simple, small and inexpensive apparatus which will quickly and easily splice moving picture films.

A further object is to `provide a device which will successi-vel clean, cement and llap the film' ends and old the lapped ends until vthey are dry.

The device 'consists briefl i of a base con- I0 taining a slide 'carrying t e cleaning, ce-

menting. andpressing devices., The base also supports a pair of tables on which the filmends to .be spliced are mounted. The slideco-,operates with'these tableslto produce the lapping and pressing. The construction shown and claimed herein isalso in the nature ofv an improvement on the device of Letters Patent #1,324,686 issued to me, in that, in addition to a number of mi- I0 nor improvements, with this new construe' tion, the lm holding elements are automatically and mechanically reset to their normal original positions, whereas in my said earlier patent there was no mechanism for -this pur ose and this readjustment had to be made y hand. l In the ,drawings which illustrate the invention Figs. 1 and 2 are res ivel left and 00` right side elevations vof t e mac e.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device with film clamp covers removed.

Fig. 4 is a rear end elevation.

Fig. 5 is a section on` the line 5-5, Figl ure 3.

Fig. 6 is an invertedplan view of one of the tables showing the lapping mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 11 designates a base having an underl cut groove 12, in which a slide 13 1s iiounted. The base is provided with a further ve 14 extendin :part way `of its length i-)othe reception o a stop 15 on the of the Slide. A 'pair of 16 and, 17 m secured tothe right an left sides respectively of the base.

between the sleeve andthe s indle shoulder and urges thek sleeve tow the pivotally supported end of the spindle. A stop 26 1s provided limiting the opening movement of the cover 21 and supporting thesame when in open'position.

The post 17 supports a table 27, which is cut away .in its central portion and is provided With a slidable top 28. The cover 29 instead of being hin d to' the table is hinged to a frame 30, w ich lies under the table, and is provided with lugs 31 which pass through the table opening and are attached to the table top 28. The cover clamp 32 and stop 33 are also attached to the frame.

It will thus be seen that the cover will move with the table top. A .spring 34 is provided on the frame 30engaging a pin 35 on the tablejand operating to force the frame cover and table to toward the central axis of the machine. n adjustable stop 36 in the frame abuts the post 17 and limits such inward movement. A tri ger 37 is mounted onrthe post in the table openin and 'normally engages an adjudzable catcl 38 on the frame. This .trig r is provided with a spring 39, which ten s to hold it in engagement wit-h the catch. The trigger operates to hold the table and frame away from the central axis of the machine against the urge of the spring 34.v One end of the trigger proiects bevond the table, so that 1 it may be oscilla to'release the table by means hereafter described. lA resettn pin 40 is slidabl mounted in the post wit one of its ends a utting the frame and the other end projecting beyond the table,- so as to be engaged for resetting the table as hereafter The end of the table top' wheel.

28 is provided with amovable lip or extension 41 having a limited in and out and a limited vertical movement. This in and out and vertical movement may be obtained in any one of several well known and usual methods of mounting a lip of this kind, so thatthe whole 1i may move inwardly and outwardly and t e inner edge of the lip may move vertically while t e outer edge remains stationary. The forwand or inward movement of the said lip 41 is caused by the forward or inward movement o'f the frame 30 and the table top 28 under the urge of the ring 34, and the vertical depression of the 11p 41 after it is free from the cam 59 is caused by the pressure foot 70. To permit the knife 43 to enter between the lip 41 and the extension 69 on the table top 19 the end corner of the front edge of the said lip may be rounded slightly and the entire lip may be yieldably supported on the table top 28.

The slide 13 is provided from front to rear in the order named with an operating handle 42; a knife 43 having an inclined cutting edge; a water well 44 from which water is fed through a wick 45 mounted in the well cover 46; a wire brush 47 for scraping the gelatine from the film; a drying andpolishlng roll 48; a cement well 49 containing a l cement applying wheel 50 and having an autematica ly operating cover 51,; and a pivotally mounted preer lever 52. The wick brush, drying roll and cement wheel are preferably located in the same plane, while the knife and the presser lever are very vslightly offset to the ri ht, as will be clearly seen in Figure 3. rT e cement applying wheel 50 is fxcdly mounted on a revoluble spindle 53, ,which is provided on the left side of the machine with a pinion 54, adapted to engage a rack mounted on the base for the purpose of impart-ing rotation to the The spindle 53 has a slight vertical movement in a slot 53h and is upwardly pressed by springs 53a. The cover'51 is carried by an arm 56 pivotally mounted on the slide and provided with a spring 57, which o erates normally to keep the cover tightly c osed over the wheel. The operating lever 52 is provided with a spring 58 arranged to urge the upper end of the lever upwardly. The tail of the lever may conveniently bear against the supporting pivot of the arm 56 to` limit the lever movement. In addition to these elements, the slide is rovided with a cam 59, which may convenlently be in the form of a len th of stiff spring wire extend ing between t e wells 44 and 49. This cam engages the underside of the movable lip 4l and presses it upwardly. A second cam 6G is provided on the slide in position to engage the resetting plunger 40, while a striker 61 is mounted on the slide in position to oscillatc the trigger 37. A post 62 is mounted on the base in position to engage the under side ment in the opposite direction. A second stop 66 is provided on the slide farther to the rear in position to engage the stop 64.

In order to hold the lm to be spliced, the table top 19 is provided at the inner end with a pair of pins 67 adapted to enter `the marginal perforations of the film. At the outer ends, -both tables are provided with pins 68 adaipted 'to engage the outer edges of the film. -t will be clearly kseen in Figures 3 and 4 that the knife 43 operates against the .lip 41 of the sliding table top 28 and, therefore, at one side of the slot or space existing between the table tops for the passage of the various elements on the slide.' It wi ll be seen in Figure 4 that the cover 21 is provided with an extension 69 which overlaps this space. with a resiliently mounted presser foot 70, 'which bears downwardly on'the table-top extension 41.

The operation of the device is as follows The slide is set in its rearmost position and the covers 21 and 29 opened. The two ends of a film are brought into overlapping relation and laid on the table tops, sensitized sides down, the lower fiim being onthe left hand .table and the upper on the right hand. The films arek secured by Placing them on the pins 67 and are held in proper alignmemI by the pins `68. The covers are then clamped` (lll The cover 21 is also provided down and the machine is ready to operate.

It will be noted that when thus. arranged, the-overlapping' portion of the film spans the gap between thetables and is covered over by the extension 69 of the cover 2l'. The shortened cover 29 exposes the film lying on the lip 4l, against which it is held by the presser foot 70.' The slide is now drawn forward, yso that the knife forces its way between the cover extension 69 and the movable lip 41, severing both layers of film. As the film is held close on each side of the knife, l.the cut will beclean and smooth. While the knife is passing throughthe film` the stop 65 on the slide rides'over the lever stop 64 and thus prevents the slide being moved rearwardlyv to repass the knife through the film, without depressing the lever 63. The slide is now worked back and forth several times between the limits de passes the wet wick 45 'and' wire brush 47 relao peatedly under the film, so that the `gelatine on the sensitized lower side of the film 'is scraped away to expose the material of the lm. During this operation, the movable -lip 41 rides on the cam 59, which presses it up against the presser foot 70, so that the end of the film on the' right hand table is ti htly clamped. When the operator is satthat the gelatine has been thoroughly cleared oil' the exposed portion of film on the left hand table, he depresses the lever 63 .to disen ge the stops 64 and 66 and draws the slide orwardly, so that the drying and polishing roll 48 is brought under the cleaned end of the film. At about the time the d ing roll erages the film, the arm 56 of t e cement we cover strikes the ost 62, so that continued movement of the ide causes the cover to belifted away, ex sin the wheel. As .the cover commences to 'ft, t e pinion54 engages the rack and the wheel is rotated,

with thev result that when it passes under the' film, it is coated with wet cement from the well, which is transferred to the cleaned and A burnished end of the Iilm on'the left hand table. vThe springs 53*y force .the wheel tightly against the film, so that the cement is posltively a plied and also so that rotation of the rol after the pinion leaves the rack will be assured. Immediately after the cementing wheel passes under the film, the vstriker 61 engages the tail of the trig r and moves it whereby the frame 30 and ta le top 28 are released and movedv inwardly by the pressure of the Spring 34.v The movable lip 41 on the inner end of the table top 28v being free o f the cam 59, is depressed by the y A presser foot 70, so that the upper surface of the filmend thereon is positioned below the,

under surface of the cleaned and cement coated film end held on the ltable This inward movement of'the frame 30, therefore, in addition' to causing an overlapping of the film ends, also brings the movable lip,

41 under the cover extension "69, and immediately thereafter the presser lever 52 runs under the lip 41 and presses it tightly up against the rigid cover extension thereby bringing together in close engagement the freshly cemented and overlapped ends of the film. When the presser lever is centrally disposed under the table extension, the slide stop 15 reaches the end of its groove 14 and the slide comes to, rest. The operator now lets the machine stand for as long as may be necessary for the cement to set. He then opens both covers and lifts out the film,A

which will be found neatly and securely lting the frame and table top. When the spliced. The surplus overlappa'ge of the ends, which are trimmed oil by the cutting operation, will either fall olf or may be easily removed. With the covers still open, the lever 63 is depressed and the slide driven as far rearwardl as it will go. The machine is now rea y y to make another splice,

frame resumes its outer position, the tri ger is drawn into position by its spring toold the frame out against the action of thc rin 34. The cement well cover arm s t en i'sengages from the post 62 and the cover is closed by the spring 57. If the machinejis to remain idle for any length of time, it is advisable to empty the well 44 of water or other washing liquid and cleanse the -wick and brush and also to empty the cement well 49 and cleanse the cementing wheel. f

It will be very readily understood from the foregoing description that the cleaning and overlapping of the film ends may `be done much more rapidl and accuratel by this meansthan is possi le by hand, without a great expenditure of time. When a quickdrying cement is used, the pause necessary for the cement to set will be very brief, and in any case, less than the time.which would be consumed in holding or clamping-the ends by hand. Where;` a great numbery of splices are made, each loperator may work two machines, so that a splice may be made with one machine while a previously made `splice is drying vin the other machine.. In t is way no time will be lost. l

- Having thus described my invention, wha I claim 1s:-`

1. In a film splicing machine the combination of z-film holding elements, means adapted to hold said elements out of overlapping relation comprising a trigger mounted on one of the said film holding elements, a reciprocating member adapted to move relatively to the said film holding elements, and

-to cut, clean and cement the film ends, means ends, and for cleaning and applying cement to one of them, means on the first member for automatically moving one of the film' strips towards the other to cause the film ends to overlap, and means for pressing the overlapped ends toward each other.

3. In combination with a device constructed inaccordance with claim 1, means adapted to press the overlapped film ends.

4; In combination with a device constructiso ed in accordance with claim 1, a movable lip on one film holding element, a rigid lip on the other film holding element, and a film cutting knife adapted to move between and in close engagement with the said lips during the non-overlapping relation of the film holding elements.

5. In a film splicing machine, the combination of:-a pair of film holding elements, relatively slidable in a rectilinear path, an independently movable lip on one of said elements, means adapted to depress said lip and the film thereon-out of alignment with the film in the other holder, means adapted to move one of the film holding elements to bring the film ends into overlapping relation, and means adapted to hold the said elements against movement. v 6. In combination with a device constructed in accordance with claim 5, means adapted to cut, clean/"and cement a film in the holding elements, and to release the means for locking the movable film holding element against movement on completion of the cementing operation.

7. In a film `splicing machine, the combi? nation of:-a pair of relativelv movable film holding elements, an independently movable lip on one ofvsaid elements, means adapted to depress said lip andthe lm thereon out of alignment with the film vin the other holder, means adapted to move one of the film holding elements to bring the film ends into overlapping relation, means adapted to hold the said elements against movement, means adapted to cut, clean and cement a film in the holding elements and to release the means for locking the movable film holding element against movement on completion of the cementing operation, and a cam on theA said cutting, cleaning and cementing means adapted to hold the independently movable lip on the film holder.

against depression until just prior to overlapping operation.

8.` In a film splicing machine, the combination of a pair of tables adapted to hold the ' films, one having a fixed top and the other nected to the said movable top and carrying a, movable top, means adapted to clamp films to the said table tops, a frame conlatching means for holding the movable table top away from the fixed table top, and means cooperating with said latching means adapted to move the said tops into and'ont of overlapping relation.

9. In a film splicing machine, means for automatically cutting, cleaning and cementing the film, the cementing means including a reservoir, a wheel operating therein, a coveriforY the reservoir and wheel; operating means for automatically rotating said wheel prior to the cementing operation to present a freshly wetted portion of the wheel to a film, means `for automatically removing the cover at the commencement of the cementing operation and means for pressing the wheel tightly against the film whereby rotation of the wheel is continued.`

. 10. In a film splicing machine, the combination of film holding elements, a reciprocating memberadapted to move toward and from the said film holding elements and provided with film cutting, cleaning, cementing and splice preing devices, andadapted to operate fixed and movable stops arranged to permit engagement between only the film end and the cleaning devices on the said reciprocating member.

11. In a film splicing machine, the combination ofz-film holding elements, a reciprocating Ymember .adapted to move toward and from the said film holders and provided with cutting. cleaning, cementing and splice pressing devices, a plurality of stops mount ed on the said reciprocating; member, a lever mounted on the support of one of the film holding elements and provided with an,

' between the film holders. y

1 2. In a film splicing machine, the combi- 'natlon of elements adapted to hold films;

means adapted to hold said elements out of overlapping relation; a reciprocating member adapted to move 4toward and from said elements and provided with cutting, cleaning and cementing devices; means for limiting the movement of the said reciprocating member whereby only the Said cleaning devices may engage with the film; means for releasing the reciprocating memberfrom.- the saidlimitationof movement whereby the cementing device may engage with the film; means adapted to move the film holding elements into overlapping relation; and means for moving the said film holding elements out of\l overlapping relation, whereby the reciprocating member may be returned to its original location.`

13. In a film splicing machine, the combination of a pair of grippingelements for gripping the two film ends to be spliced, a working member relatively slidable in a reetilinear path with respect to the gripping members, means on the working "member for severing the film ends, and for cleaning and applying cement to one of the ends, meansfor moving one of the gripping elements toward the other to causethe film ends to' overlap, and means for automatically. moving one ofthe gripping ciments away from the other aftcr the. splicing opin claim 13, in combination with means for eration is com leted. pressing the overlappedv film ends into con- 14. -Afmachmeof the character set forth v1in claim 13, in combination with laiching MAURICE METmER. l means for holding one of the gripping mem- Witn f l bers spaced from the other.- E. D. Samson, Y

15, A machine` of tho character sat forth S.y Mmmm-rn. 

